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Bellum omnium contra omnes

Simple Words

It seems plain and self-evident, yet it needs to be said: the isolated knowledge obtained by a group of specialists in a narrow field has in itself no value whatsoever, but only in its synthesis with all the rest of knowledge and only inasmuch as it really contributes in this synthesis toward answering the demand, “Who are we?”

Erwin Schrodinger, Science and Humanism

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We each think ourselves as knowledgeable, each capable of making decisions of great import about the world around us that affects not just us but everyone around us. There are many, most whom I have run into, who think that they know, and that anyone who differs from them is wrong. There is an arrogance in thinking like that, an undeniable egotism that runs through the daily lives of most everyone. This arrogance has no regard for wealth or lack thereof, nor for political agenda, or skin color, age or religion. It is the truest discrimination free zone in all the world.

I’ve seen it everywhere. People who hate government, hate it for no other reason than it exists. Oh, they say it goes deeper than that, and talk of social issues or some other part of their agenda, but in the end it is usually about “I’m right because I know what I know, and that is that.” and that’s about it.

There is no room for reasoning, or for emotions different than those experienced by the holder of opinion. Think deeply, talk eloquently, work strenuously, act proudly towards a goal both great and significant, do what you like. If it does not meet with and stand shoulder to shoulder with the ego that feels and thinks differently, all of that goes for naught.

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Viddy of the day: Alex Jones making the argument, that because people make statements in the press about global government, that means global government is coming. Alex is afraid of global government because other people talk about it. No nation will give up it’s power. Sounds silly to me. Watch and decide on your own.

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The opinions that are held with passion are always those for which no good ground exists; indeed the passion is the measure of the holder’s lack of rational conviction. Opinions in politics and religion are almost always held passionately.

Bertrand Russell

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I’ve spoken to people on line and in person, and in every case, every person I’ve spoken to is absolutely certain that their viewpoint is the right viewpoint. I get that part of it is about ego. Ego is a good thing to have, it is a necessary component to a normal psyche, but the inflexibility that people show seems abnormal. Perhaps that is because I always question my own motives and reasoning and the emotions behind my thought processes.

I have, over time changed quite a bit. Longtime readers here know that about me, about how once upon a time I was a minarchist, once I was pro-small government. That may seem surprising, seeing how I became pro-larger government when the bailouts came around. I see the wisdom of spending money to save industries, and create them. I see the wisdom of spending our way out of the recession, of creating a federally funded financial cushion to shorten the length of the recession, and to weaken it.

America would be worse off had there been no stimulus bill, had there been no auto bailout, had the treasury not stepped in and saved the banking system.

Now not all government is good, that has always been true, but it is an extension of that thought that not all government is bad. To say that all government is evil, is like saying that all rich people are evil. Blanket statements about groups of people, regardless of the group, are invariably wrong.

Hmmm … how to put this …

The point is that the inflexibility of the hearts and minds of the American people does a great disservice to the entire nation. Give ideas not your own a chance. Look around you at the infinite variety of thoughts and feelings that exist outside yourself and your circle. Make the world a better place by interacting with thoughts and concepts alien to you.

Leave your comfort zone, make the world a better place.

Just thinking out loud.

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That’s about it from here, America. Have a good night, I’ll write to you tomorrow.